Appliance for physical culture or exercise purposes



NOV. 26, 1935. M JACKS 2,022,002

APPLIANGE FOR PHYSICAL CULTURE OR XERCISE PURPOSES Filed Dec. 21, 1954 @gl f Patented Nov. 26, 1935 rA'rENT OFFICE ArrLrANon For. rrirsicAL CULTURE oa Y nxnaeisn PURPOSES 1 Louise Marian Jacks, London, England Application December 21,

In Great Britain 5 Claims.

This invention relates to an appliance for physical culture or exercise purposes and consists in a resilient element, for instance an ordinary coil or spiral spring, which is compressible by the person using the appliance and is provided with cushioning pads at the ends thereof which, in the use of the appliance, engage against those parts of the person between which the appliance is held.

Conveniently the resilient element consists of a metal spring of the kind commonly employed in upholstery so that the pressure on the spring may be applied over a large area compared with the central portion of the spring, the cushioning pads being provided at the ends of the spring where the turns thereof are of relatively large diameter.

In the accompanying drawingz Figure 1 is a view of one convenient form of appliance in its extended condition,

Figure 2 is a view of the appliance seen in Figure 1 but in a compressed condition, and

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section through Figure 1.

In carrying the invention into effect in one convenient manner a metal spiral spring I such as is commonly employed in upholstery, i. e. one in which the coils progressively decrease in diameter from the ends of the spring towards the centre portion thereof, is covered, preferably entirely, by tape 2 or other material being wrapped or otherwise applied around the turns of the spring and at the ends of the springs there are provided cushioning pads 3 for engagement with those parts of the person between which the appliance is held.

The tape 2 may be covered with cotton wool l and the cushioning pads may each be composed as follows:-

Secured to each end turn of the spring there may be provided a disc 5 of sponge rubber or the like followed by a piece of cotton wool 6 and an envelope 'i enclosing a ring of horse hair 8. The composite pads thus formed may each be enclosed within a cover 8 of linen, for example, each of which covers, at its closed end, is formed with a pocket to receive cotton wool 9 so that each such stuffed pocket enters into the central space of each ring of horse hair 8. Between the outside of the skirt portion of the cover 8 and an outer cover lll, which may be of linen and is formed to enclose the spring, there is provided a ring of cotton wool I I.

To provide a nished appearance the cover I is covered with velvet I2 or other material which 1934, Serial No. 758,709 August 24, 1934 serves this purpose and the appearance may be improved further by pleating the velvet material.

A person using the appliance exerts pressure on the pads 3 so as to compress the spring I, as shown in Figure 2, and then releases the pressure to allow the spring to return to its normal state, as shown in Figure 1, whereupon the spring is again compressed and released and so on until the required amount of exercise has been derived. The appliance can be actuated in this manner by holding it between the palms of the hands, for example, or it can be held between the legs or between one arm and the body of the person using the appliance. The portion I3 of the outside cover I2, between the pads 3, is constructed so as to follow somewhat the shape of the spring and at spaced intervals longitudinally of this re- -stricted portion I3, the material is provided with provide porclose rings of stitching I4 so as to tions I of the restricted portion I3 which are free to bulge outwardswhen the spring is compressed as shown in Figure 2, such portions I5 are gathered circumferentially to enable the same to expand outwards.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the above details of construction but is capable of modification according to any particular requirements.

Having now describedvmy invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent isz- 1. An appliance for physical culture or exercise purposes comprising a coil spring having the turns thereof covered with tape, a cushioning pad including a body of sponge rubber at each end of the spring, a covering for the cushioning pad and, enclosing the whole, an outer cover of bellows construction at the portion between the cushioning pads.

2. An appliance for physical culture or exercise purposes comprising a coil spring having the turns thereof covered with tape, a composite cushioning pad including a body of sponge rubber and an envelope containing a ring of horse hair enclosed in a linen cover and, enclosing the whole, an outer cover of bellows construction at the portion between the composite cushioning pads.

3. An appliance for physical culture or exercise purposes comprising a coil spring having the turns thereof covered with tape, a cushioning pad including a body of sponge rubber and an envelope containing a ring of horse hair enclosed in a linen cover formed with pockets to receive cotton wool arranged so that each pocket enters the central space in the ring of horse hair and, enclosing the whole, an outer cover of bellows construction at the portion between the composite cushioning pads.

4. An appliance for physical culture or exercise purposes comprising a coil springhavng the convolutions thereof at its opposite endsY of greater diameter than the convolutionsbetween such ends, a cushioning pad at each end of the spring and an outer fabric cover for the Whole which cover between its ends of greater diameter is pleated longitudinally between spaced circumerential circular bands of substantially constant diameter formed by stitching or the like so that upon compression of the spring the pleated portions of the cover between the said bands are deformed outwardly in accordance with the compression of the spring.

5. An appliance for physical culture or exercise purposes comprising a coil spring having the convolutions thereof at its opposite ends of greater diameter than the convolutions between such ends, a cushioning pad at each end of the spring and an outer fabric cover for the whole, spaced circular bands of stitching contracting the cover and forming pleats between the bands,

whereby upon compression of the spring the pleated portions of the cover between the said bands are deformed outwardly in accordance with the compression of the spring.

LOUISE MARIAN JACKS. 

